Accelerator control



' 1,605,341 B. G. GILBOUGH 4 ACCELERATOR CONTROL Nov. 2 1926.

Filed Dec. 24. 1925 uvvszvron, 3-6. 4;! 5 024 6,

' ORNEY' Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

unrrsnsrarss PATENT oFFicE.

BENJAMIN e. GILBOUGH, or SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA.

ACCELERATOR CONTROL.

Application filed December 24, 1925. Serial No. 77,633.

This invention relates to gas motor'throttle control means and more especially to a device operative upon the usual automobile foot actuated, so called accelerator which works the throttle independently ofthe us 1 ual hand-lever at thesteering wheel. j An 0b]ect is to provide a means for relieving the foot from the constant reaction of the return spring pressure of the accelerator so that fatiguing of the ankle muscles will be practically eliminated. In other words, an object is to provide means for automatically holding the accelerator at any desired degree of depression for any desired period, and at the same time provide for an instantaneous release of the depressed accelerator as in the usual manner by the mere lifting of the foot from the control.

An object is to provide a control which maybe readily adapted to various types of car accelerators without in any manner tampering with or altering the standard parts.

And a special. object is :to provide a simple, practicable; inexpensive, reliable and safe device, and which will allow of the operation of the motor throttle in 'the usual way by the hand-lever.

Additional objects and advantages will be made manifestin the following specification of apparatus incorporating the invention; it being understood that modifications,

the base to be passed down over the accel-' erator A and which is normally thrust up by its springs. The base is fastened down, by screws 4, to the car floor F.

At the forward end of the-base 2 is an upstandinganchored' post 5 having some freedom so as totilt a little. Slidable along this post is a friction device here in theform of a hardened plate or leaf 6 apertured at 7 to receive the post. When the plate 6 is inclined in one direction as to the post the edges of the aperture are adapted to clinch or bind upon the post and thus hold a position thereon. If the plate is reversely pressed it will unbind itself and can be shifted along thepost. This is an'old and well known principle of friction look but I here use it in a new organization to lock down the accelerator.

In Figure 1 the plate 6 is hinged at 8 to the outer end of a carrier or arm 9 Which is hinged at.10 to the rear end of the I base 2.

The arm 9 upon the accelerator button A and'be supported thereby without enough down pressure on it to open the motor throttle.

In this form of the device the arm 9 lies under a treadle 11 which is hinged at'12 to the base; in this case coaxially with the hinge 10. l

l'ntcrposed between the treadle 11- and the arm 9'is a spreader spring 13 so lifting the treadle that a part thereof, hook 14L,

comes up against the free endofplate 6 and lifts it against the effort of a'spring 16 whose function is to so press the plate as to make it instantly bind on the post against upward movement. there along.

Spring 13 is stronger than spring 16 and hence pulls up the binding plate 6, andf allows the accelerator A to jack up the-parts is designed to rest directly 9-11. A thrust rod 17 is provided between the arm 9 and the .treadle 11 and allows the treadle to move down far enough to drop the hook 14 fromplate 6. Upon further downward movement of the treadle the bar engages arm 9 andpresses 'it-downtogethcr with the accelerator.

Now so long as the hook 14: clears the the arm from beingpressed up by the accelerator.

plate 6 this will bind on post 5 and prevent It will be seen that the treadle will be held down merely by the Wveight of the drivers foot after the accelerator has been depressed and is locked by plate 6, and it is not necessary to use muscular energy to hold the throttle down. By lifting the foot. or removing it entirely, the treadle will be pressed up by spring 13 (shown around'rod l7) and hook 14 will strike and lift the locking plate 6 which thus unlocks arm 9, all the parts being lifted by the accelerator spring. In Figure 2 the locking plate 6 is hinged at 20 to a flange 21 on the arm, and a spring 16 actuates the plate which here has a wing 6 presenting an edge to a horn 22 bent down from the front end of a modified form Ill) of treadle 11 which is pivoted at 12 in the arm 9. 'llhe treadle 11' is thus much shortened and entirely carried by the arm 9. A spring 13 elevates the treadle 11 on arm 9 and as it moves up the horn 22 abuts the wing 6' of plate 6 and this is unlocked against action of its spring 16.

To facilitate ease of application of the foot to the treadle 11 it lies close to the arm and has side flange 11 overhanging the sides of thearm 9 which may have downturne-d sides or flanges 9 if desired.

The invention claimed is:

1. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator and comprising an anchored part anda movable device having means to slide freely in oneidirection along said part and to automatically lock thereon upon a reverse movement of said device, and a medium for unlocking the said means to allow such reverse movement.

2. A foot actuated, throttle control opeative upon an accelerator member and comprising an anchored part, an element to actuate the said member and having means to automatically grip on the said upon a reverse movement of said element and to hold said part elementdepressed, and a medium for automatically releasing the gripping means to permit said reverse movement.

3. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator member and comprising an anchor part, pedal means engageable with said member to open the throttle, a device acting therewith in said opening action and sliding freely on said part and'locking thereon on reverse action, and a manually controlled medium auto matically movable into engagement with said device to unlock it from the anchor and to release the said pedal means when said mediumis released by the operator.

4. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator member and c omprisingran anchor part, means automatically attaching itself to said part when said means is moved against and with said member, and a foot controlled releasing medium for said means including an arm carrying a friction member to bind on said part, and said medium including a portion to engage said friction member in a releasing action.

5. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator member and comprising an anchor part, means automatically attaching itself to said part when said means is depressed against and with said member, and a foot controlled releasing -medium for said means said medium including an element mounted upon said means.

6. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator member and comprising an anchor part, means auto matically attaching itself to said part when said means is depressed against and with said member, and a foot controlled releasing medium including an element yicldably mounted upon said means.

7. A foot actuated, throttle control operative upon an accelerator member and comprising an anchor part, a treadle to operate said member, a movable arm carry ing a friction device to bind on the said part when tending to move in one direction, said treadle being operatively engageable with said device to release it fr 111 the anchor part.

8. A foot actuated throttle including a foot-operated treadle, an anchored part, means shiftable by the treadle freely along said part in one direction and automatically locking thereon upon a reverse movement, and means for automatically unlocking the first named means to permit such reverse movement when the treadle is released.

9. A foot actuated throttle control including a treadle for operating a spring thrust throttle member, means to automatically lock the treadle depressed against spring reaction, and automatic means for releasingthe locking means when the treadle is released.

10. A throttle control mechanism including manually thrust means to actuate a treadl-e member, a lock to automatically hold the said.member in shifted position, ,and means to automatically render the lock ineffective when the manually thrust means is relieved.

BENJAMIN G. GILBOUGH. 

